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The curious and bitter dispute between two of Australia's most prominent national security dissidents - former intelligence analyst Andrew Wilkie and navy lawyer Captain Martin Toohey - has worsened.

Mr Wilkie's publishers said yesterday they would formally complain to legal authorities about Captain Toohey's decision to give Mr Wilkie's forthcoming book to the Federal Government without permission.

The Government subsequently censored the book, Axis of Deceit, which it said would have compromised agents in the field and revealed sensitive details on intelligence operations.

The book will be published on Tuesday and exclusive extracts will appear in tomorrow's Herald.

Captain Toohey came to prominence after he backed allegations of biased intelligence reporting and called for the sacking of Defence Intelligence Organisation chief Frank Lewincamp.

At a Senate estimates hearing this month, Mr Lewincamp rejected Captain Toohey's claims against the DIO and himself, saying Captain Toohey had denied them procedural fairness and had sensationalised his findings.

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Mr Wilkie earned national fame when he quit Australia's premier intelligence service, the Office of National Assessments, in protest on the eve of the Iraq War.

He claimed the Government exaggerated the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, a view subsequently backed by a parliamentary committee.

At the core of their dispute was the decision by Mr Wilkie's publisher, Black Inc, to send a copy of Axis of Deceit to Captain Toohey for his legal opinion on whether changes needed to be made due to national security concerns or other issues.

Black Inc's Morrie Schwartz said the book was sent "on a confidential basis, believing the manuscript was the subject of legal professional privilege".

Captain Toohey's law firm said it had an overriding obligation to hand the manuscript to the Attorney-General's Department if there were "security concerns", especially as Captain Toohey was in the defence force.

The matter will now rest with the Law Society of ACT, after Black Inc lodged a complaint.